Armenia’s finest turns 75
mainThe composer Tigran Mansurian will be 75 on Monday. Patricia Kopatchinskaja will give first performances of his violin concerto “Four serious songs” and also of the “Romance” for violin and orchestra which Mansurian dedicated to her: In February with the Orchestra della Toscana in Florence, Italy. In March with Camerata Bern, in Bern Switzerland and in Trento, Italy, and also with Britten Sinfonietta in Cambridge, Norwich and London, UK. And in November with St.Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota, USA.
His marvellous Requiem (below) mourns the victims of the Turkish genocide, almost 100 years ago.
Full bio here.
Armenians rule!
TIGRAN MANSURIAN (b.1939 – )
REQUIEM (2011)
Dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide
live performance
NURIA RIAL Sopran
MARIE-CLAUDE CHAPPUIS Alt
CHRISTOPH PRÉGARDIEN Tenor
TAREQ NAZMI Bass
RIAS Kammerchor Münchner Kammerorchester
ALEXANDER LIEBREICH Dirigent
Auftragswerk für das Münchener Kammerorchester und den RIAS Kammerchor
http://youtu.be/yUoINWiTqZA
I Requiem
II Kyrie
III Dies irae
IV Tuba mirum
V Lacrimosa
VI Domine Jesu Christe
VII Sanctus
VIII Agnus Dei
This work is dedicated to the victims of the Armenian genocide. During its composition, I was confronted by the problem of differing interpretations of the canonical texts laid down by the Armenian and Roman- Catholic churches. Armenian Christians conceive for example the intonation of the ‘Kyrie eleison’ according to the Western tradition somehow different from their tradition. I naturally selected the Armenian tradition; I had no wish to copy the rhetoric and gestures of a rite to which I am unaccustomed. I hope that the interlinking of ancient sacred and secular music of Armenia with the Latin text has created something unexpected and even slightly paradox in my music. (Tigran Mansurian)
Lucine Amara, American soprano of Armenian heritage who sang frequently at the Metropolitan Opera, will turn 90 on March 1st. Can we call her Armenia’s second finest?